Friday, November 17, 2006

Re-post: Rebecca - Oct 06

From Wednesday, October 11, 2006

We went to see Rebecca last night. A very slick, professional performance, as you'd expect. It took place against a projected backdrop showing variously seascapes and skyscapes and a very realistic-looking shingle beach, which worked very well throughout the numerous beach scenes but was rather less successful in the drawing room and bedroom scenes, in which they made no effort to cover up the shingle beach.

Maureen Beattie was brilliant as Mrs Danvers. The 2nd Mrs De Winter was just annoyingly pathetic, but I think that was intentional. Gregor Henderson-Begg played a fantastic Ben the imbecile. He was our favourite character. I think I've either read or seen (or both) the story before - M said the same - but neither of us could remember the ending, which was drawn out with all due suspense and intrigue so we enjoyed it for that. M was disappointed in Nigel Havers, thinking him unnaturally stiff and wooden. We've seen him in other things and he is usually more relaxed, but I think the De Winter part probably calls for a certain amount of uptight spikiness so I wasn't put off by it.

I'm not one of his fans though: I can't really see what the big attraction is. Maybe it's an age thing.